Strange Visitors from Past the Mysterious Beyond
by Courier999
Summary: In some alternate version of the Land Before Time, Littlefoot and the Gang's odyssey to the Great Valley proves more perilous as the five find themselves contending with not just Sharptooth, but with certain bipedal mammalians, both endemic to their homes and from far away. Rated T for violence and tense situations. Inspired by the Hollow Earth Expedition RPG. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

LAND BEFORE TIME: Strange Visitors from Past the Mysterious Beyond

_Land Before Time_ and all related characters are property of Universal.

* * *

Chapter 1: Call of the Hunter

A bronzed wiry man stalked through the reeds of the swamp, his eyes darting from place to place with every step. Before him sat a longneck egg ripe for the taking by whatever creature decided to make a move first, whether it be egg-snatchers, larger hoppers, or himself. In the distance, he could see what he presumed to be the nest's mother, her attention fixated on the nearby trees– if she were to catch him raiding her nest, his demise at her whip-like tail was almost certain, at least if the stories he had heard about that strange hunter that called herself an "Em-a-zan" was true.

As he stood there in silent contemplation, a dreaded sound filled the air and snapped him out of his reverie. A quick glance towards the egg confirmed it– the shell had begun to crack, with the tail and rear feet of a baby longneck poking skywards. And in that moment, the hunter was presented with two options– return to his village and his kinsfolk with empty hands, or take down the newly–hatched longneck. Seeing as how the choice was obvious, he drew his blowpipe and took aim at his quarry, knowing that the poison that tipped his darts would make short work of the creature.

Unfortunately for him, the infant's cries drew its mother's attention, the latter's every footfall sending tremors through the earth beneath his feet. Once more, he was presented with two choices– either flee back through the mire or linger in the bulrushes and pray to the gods of his people that the elder longneck would fail to notice him as she tended to her child. Felling both mother child was nigh–impossible, for the adult longneck's sheer size served to protect her from a multitude of poisons and venoms. Once again, the choice was clear, and he slunk through the vegetation, steeling himself to endure the upcoming bites of the blood-worms and the blood-flies.

As the unseen hunter retreated, the hatchling raised his head. Standing before it were three towering longnecks, one of which lowered its head and began to lick the younger one's back, the latter soon instinctively realizing that the tongue running across his small body belonged to his mother.

"I am oh so very glad to finally see you, my Littlefoot." the mother said in its own kind's tongue.

The newly-dubbed Littlefoot let out a soft cry, which would eventually become the 'songs' that the longnecks were known for among the other denizens of their little world.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Another day, another fandom I'm sticking my toe into because I can't commit to one single project to save my life. As for the origins of this particular idea, chalk it up to a) reading the various books for the tabletop RPG _Hollow Earth Expedition_ (a game heavily based on old pulp fiction, including Edgar Rice Burroughs's _Pellucidar_ series) and b) stumbling upon _The Land Before Time Retold Fics_ by Elise Lowering. And if you're reading this, Elise– kudos!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: New Arrivals

Elise "Piper" Lane was, to put it mildly, irritated. To put it more accurately, pure unadulterated hatred was coursing through every recess of her psyche. If the word 'Hate' was engraved on each neuron and synapse within her body, it would not equal one one-billionth of the collective hate she felt at that moment. Hate for her editor, who was no doubt sitting at his desk in Brooklyn puffing away at a Cuban cigar. Hate for herself, for accepting his offer of covering the _Challenger_ expedition. And right now, hate for none other Richard Warburton, leader of the expedition and commander of the eponymous airship that was currently nestled in a lush valley ringed by mountains, while she was making her way through some godforsaken badlands.

'_Go on this trip to God knows where,' they said. 'It'll be fun,' they said._

Accompanying her on this trek were a handful of the expedition's other members– Sir John Crichton, a veteran of the Great War and a big game hunter of some renown. Doctor Malcolm Doyle, a noted field biologist and amateur documentarian. Some native fellow from a village near the _Challenger_'s landing site who went by the moniker 'Speaker to Great Lizards'. When not guiding them across the barren landscape, he kept yammering about how the land been greener many moons ago (a claim seemingly backed up by the vast number of dead trees the party had thus far passed). And rounding out the party was one Marion DiTillio, a regular grease monkey who had tagged along because someone had to make sure the jeep they were using stayed in working order.

* * *

"Hey, DiTillio! You missed a bump!" Piper snapped.

"If you think you can do a better job, why don't _you_ drive this thing? Otherwise, put a sock in it and stop playing backseat driver!" came the retort.

"_Put on the brakes! I think I see something!_" Crichton exclaimed.

The jeep lurched to a stop, whereupon Crichton and Speaker to Great Lizards disembarked. Right next to the vehicle was a three-toed footprint about three feet long by one foot wide. There was a pregnant pause as the guide studiously examined the print, until he turned his gaze back at the party.

"Sharptooth. Big one. Must be a leaf-eater herd ahead of us." he said.

"…the hell's a sharptooth?" Crichton asked.

"Giant meat-eater that walks upon two legs, with a massive head full of teeth like knives and two tiny arms beneath that."

"One of those Tyrannosaurus things, eh? Sounds like great sport if you ask me." Crichton replied.

Just then, the jeep's horn blared.

"We're burning daylight here, people!" DiTillio snapped.

* * *

The next leg of the trek felt like eternity to the quintet, as the dead forests gave way to true badlands dominated by rock formations. Suddenly, something broke the ongoing monotony– a massive herd of dinosaurs on the horizon.

"Get us closer, DiTillio! We've got photos to take here!" Piper exclaimed.

The jeep made a sharp turn while the reporter readied her camera, dreams of a Pulitzer dancing through her head. Meanwhile, out of the corner of his eye, Doyle saw Speaker toying with an amulet around his neck.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's the importance of that thing?" the biologist asked.

Speaker's gaze focused on Doyle.

"It is a precious thing, young one. For generations, some of those among my people have donned this piece, granting them the ability to commune with the beasts in the manner of men."

"So this thing lets you talk with dinosaurs?"

"Is that not what I just said?"

Before Doyle could make a reply, the jeep came to a sudden halt. Almost as soon as the wheels had stopped spinning, all could hear Piper barking an order at DiTillio (this one sounding vaguely like 'unpack the movie camera while I take some still shots!') As everything proceeded onwards, however, Speaker, Doyle, and Crichton felt a sense of general unease rising from within…

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

And now that we have our main human players in place, next chapter will be focused on our more reptilian heroes. Also, just to make things clear, things will probably go off the rails for the TLBT crew in terms of their journey to the Great Valley.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Great Dinosaur Exodus

In the approximate half-decade since Littlefoot had hatched, the world he knew had changed into one almost unrecognizable to him, his kin, and the other denizens of that land. Where there had once been lush vegetation, there was now naught but vast stretches of barrenness and desolation. Where there had once been plenty, there was now almost nothing for the majestic herbivores to sate their hunger. As the mighty creatures fled for pastures anew, the local tribes of men tried their damnedest to endure. As the rivers dried, they tapped the underground springs. As the game vanished, they slaughtered and dined upon their livestock. And as the wild plants withered, they tended to their crops with a desperate frenzy. Unfortunately, these efforts were futile, for the land mysteriously grew sour, causing the crops to wither and the springs to become undrinkable.

In this darkest hour, the tribes had decided that they would follow the great herds in their flight in hopes of finding more a more hospitable place that they could call home. However, many of these refugees– dinosaur and human alike– would never lay eyes upon this waiting land of plenty. Claimed by thirst, by heat, by starvation, and by predator, these unfortunates would leave naught but bleached bones that served as macabre markers of the path trod by their fellow exodites.

* * *

"Mother, is this all there is to eat?" Littlefoot asked as he tried to bite through the dried sticks and twigs that had recently become the herd's main source of subsistence .

The elder longneck let out a heavy sigh.

"I am sorry, my son, but our homelands are changing, drying out. That is why we must walk as far as we can day by day, until we reach the Great Valley." she replied.

The young dinosaur grimaced as he continued to eat, knowing that it was either this or starvation. Just then, he heard a cry from his mother, and promptly craned his head back. As he squinted in the bright light of the Bright Circle, drifting lazily on the breeze, was the first sign of greenery he had seen in ages– a humble five-pointed leaf– or as it was known among his kin, a tree star– with a small pool of dew resting in the center.

"They say that the Great Valley is full of green food and fresh cool water like this– so much so that it is beyond imagination." the older dinosaur said.

Littlefoot beamed, raising his head up from the leaf that now lay on the ground.

"When will we get there?" he asked, an exceptionally eager expression plastered across his face.

"It will be many many days, my child. But as long as we follow the Bright Circle to where it goes down each day, we shall eventually get there."

"Have you ever seen the Great Valley?" Littlefoot asked.

"No, my son."

"But how do you know it's really there?"

A small grin formed on the older dinosaur's mouth.

"There are some things you see with your eyes, and others you see with your heart."

"I don't understand."

"You will in time, my son."

* * *

Out of sight of the great herd lurked a band of hunters, desperate and starving. They had been charged by their tribe to scout ahead, to find food and water and then return with their knowledge. While they had once been proud warriors, they were now little more than jackals and carrion crows, preying upon the weakest of the great lizards or gorging themselves on the still-warm flesh of ones that had recently died without their help. Suddenly, a bestial cry rose from the heard, prompting the two turn around. There, frolicking before them, was a juvenile three-horn, its skin a light shade of orange. While it may have had only a single, stubby horn on its snout, the shape of the head was unmistakable. Thoughts of the creature roasting on a spit soon filled their minds, and they readied their spears…only to notice that a three-horn bull was standing right next to their prospective quarry, prompting them to stand down lest they meet an ignominious demise at the older dinosaur's horns and feet.

* * *

"Don't go too far, Littlefoot." his mother said as the young longneck wandered off into some tall dry grass, the leaf slipping off unnoticed from its current resting place on his back. Presently, Littlefoot's focus was on a nearby young three-horn, the latter's own attention currently focused on a nearby beetle sitting on the ground. On instinct, she let out some kind of battle cry before proceeding to charge at the insect…only for it to fly onto a nearby rock, which the dinosaur rammed into head-first, shattering it. The beetle took advantage of its opponent's dazed state to fly over to another rock, whereupon the process repeated itself sans the rock shattering. Finally, as she prepared to ambush her quarry, the beetle raised its abdomen and discharged a yellowish liquid directly into the dinosaur's face, prompting a giggle to emerge from the tall grass.

"And just what are _you_ laughing at?" she snapped indignantly.

Littlefoot's expression turned from mirth to nervousness as he saw the three-horn's scowl directed at him. However, as she preparing for next charge, her expression changed from indignant to playful, almost daring Littlefoot to make a move– a challenge that the young longneck accepted as he leapt out of the tall grass, ready to charge himself. His opponent let out a small, squeaky roar, and the two charged at each other…only for the three-horn bull that had been near the smaller one to step in between the two, prompting both to skid to a halt. A moment later, a deep growl emerged from the bull's throat.

"_Littlefoot!_" the young longneck's mother called.

The bull turned an eye towards his daughter.

"Come, Cera," he said sternly. "Three-horns never play with longnecks."

Cera's response was simply to blow raspberries at Littlefoot, then draw closer until the two were in spitting distance of each other.

"Three-horns never play with longnecks!" she snobbishly parroted before her father dragged her by the tail, Littlefoot's mother doing the same to her child before the two adults walked off in opposite directions.

* * *

"Mother, what's a longneck?" Littlefoot asked later that day.

The elder dinosaur turned her head to face her child.

"Why, that's what _we_ are, dear."

There was a pregnant pause as the young dinosaur processed the information.

"Why can't I play with that three-horn? We were having fun."

"Well, we all keep to ourselves. The three-horns, the spike-tails, the swimmers, the flyers– we never do anything together." the mother replied.

"Why?"

"Well…because we're different."

"Why?"

The older longneck let out a quiet laugh.

"Don't worry. When we reach the Great Valley, there will be many, many longnecks for you to play with."

"I wish we were there _now_."

There was a sigh.

"Well, it's a long way yet– past the great rock that looks like a longneck and past the mountains that burn…a very long way. But once there, you'll hardly remember the journey."

As the herd continued forward, they scarcely paid attention to the red, setting sun slipping over the horizon, or to the various and sundry bands of humans trailing both behind and alongside them– none of whom had any idea of what lay ahead.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Well, this is shaping up to be much wordier than my usual output, isn't it? I'm not entirely sure why that is yet, but I'll probably figure out the reason in due time. As for what's next, expect both the _Challenger_ expedition crew to cross paths with Littlefoot and also an attempt to depict one of the ultimate three-hanky moments in theatrical feature animation. And considering what category this fic is in, you know _exactly_ which moment I'm talking about.


End file.
